Dusty Springfield began her career in a folk-pop trio The Springfields with her brother Tom. When The Springfields broke up, she went on to solo success in the early 1960s with ‘I Only Wanna Be With You’ and ‘I Don’t Know What To Do With Myself’, showcasing her sensual voice. But by the late 1960s her star was fading, and she signed with Atlantic Records in an effort to reignite her career. Recording in Memphis, the production team of Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin gave her more direct, stripped down sound than she was accustomed to.
Dusty in Memphis is a terrific album, but its albums tracks are often overshadowed by its monster single, ‘Son of a Preacher Man’. It’s a great song, but one of the beautiful things about Dusty in Memphis is the way the album builds into it at third drop. Dusty in Memphis starts with the pretty ‘Just A Little Lovin”, written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. It’s a great song in its own right, and in the context of the album it builds anticipation for the album’s centerpiece; it’s delectably arranged, but it’s subdued compared to ‘Preacher Man’.
‘So Much Love’ is another strong track, and ‘Son Of A Preacher Man’ completes a terrific three pronged opening to an album – it’s difficult to think of a better one.
Just a little lovin’
Early in the mornin’
Beats a cup of coffee
For starting off the dayJust a little lovin’
When the world is yawnin’
Makes you feel wake up feeling
Good things are coming your wayThis old world
Wouldn’t be half as bad
It wouldn’t be half as sad
If each and everybody in it had, yeahJust a little lovin’
Early in the mornin’
That little extra somethin’
To kinda see them throughNothing turns the day on
Really gets it dawnin’
Like a little bit of lovin’
From some lovin’ someone like youThis old world
Wouldn’t be half as bad
It wouldn’t be half as sad
If each and everybody in it hadJust a little lovin’
Early in the mornin’
(Just a little lovin’)
(When the world is yawnin’)
Just a little bit of lovin’ ah
Oh, in the morning
Nothing turns the day on
Really gets it dawnin’
Make a little bit of lovin’
It’s so good, it’s so good
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Great voice, great album. Must break it out for a spin.
Worth hearing her other albums? Or a compilation?
That’s quite amusing. Clearly on the same wavelength. I have this and a compilation! That seems enough.
Dusty was always a singer I liked. I dug “I Only Want To Be With You” and “Wishin’ and Hopin” is on my honorable mention list for my Indispensable 150 pop songs of that era. (I didn’t know Dusty was British for the longest time.) One song I had never heard by her (or anyone) was “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself.” The first time I heard it was by the White Stripes and I thought Jack White wrote it!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-uDvCRnm78&w=854&h=480%5D
I’ll have to break this one out again, I remember enjoying it,
Interesting to read about the trio to open the album – one of our fellow bloggers Hackskeptic reviewed The Joshua Tree the other day and we were wondering if there was a opening 1-2-3 as strong as that one.
This could be a contender!
Yeah, the U2 one is probably the conventional pick. I always struggle with it though, as I often want to skip the first three and listen to the other songs that don’t get radio play and aren’t on the greatest hits.
Were you and I separated at birth? Every time I read one of your review/posts I find myself agreeing with your views, and I’m starting to think that we must have similar favourites in our record collections.
I don’t know. Are you on the cusp of 38 and prematurely balding?
lol no, I’m older but no wiser